At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a system and method for testing a fire suppression system. The system and method can comprise at least one controller and/or computer which isolates at least one component of a fire suppression system such as a valve. In at least one embodiment, the valve can be in the form of a pressure regulating valve (PRV) which can be tested by flowing water through the valve. The system and method can then log the results and determine whether the valve passed the test.
Pressure regulating valves can form an important part of a fire suppression system. Pressure regulating valves for fire protection applications are designed for use in fire protection systems to provide protection against excessive water pressure caused by thermal expansion or line surge. For example, in at least one embodiment, each floor of a building can contain a pressure relief valve disposed along the sprinkler system positioned before or upstream of the sprinkler heads on each floor of the sprinkler system. With this design, the pressure relief valve prevents excessive pressure from reaching the sprinkler heads which could cause the sprinkler heads to release fluid prematurely or cause poor water spray patterns. For example, in at least one embodiment, the pressure in a fluid conduit upstream of a pressure regulating valve can be between 225 and 175 psi. However, after the fluid passes the pressure regulating valve (PRV) the fluid pressure can drop to below 175 psi to prevent improper water distribution at the sprinkler heads of a sprinkler system.
Other fire suppression systems are known such as U.S. Patent Application publication No. 2012/0298381 to Taylor the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Therefore, there is a need for a system to test fire suppression systems in an efficient manner.